


On the Basis of Unrequited

by regina_swan



Category: Loubbie - Fandom, Ocean's 8, debbie/lou - Fandom, lou/debbie - Fandom
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-18
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-06-12 08:05:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15335493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/regina_swan/pseuds/regina_swan
Summary: After Lou and Debbie's "rough patch", nothing is ever the same. Lou wants nothing more but for them to go back to who they used to be. But after they reunite, Debbie confesses she's been seeing someone. Is it too late for them?Slowburn and angst, but also heavy fluff (through flashbacks).jealous lou™AU where Debbie never went to prison. (Claude is still a piece of shit lol)





	1. On the basis of heartbreak

One night was all it took. The night that destroyed them.

 

**1 year after that night**

Lou knew what it meant. What she was going back to. Her rough patch with Debbie had left her so lonely that all she did was work. She managed to work enough to get her club open. The club she had always dreamt of, but it felt empty somehow. As if there was a missing piece. She decided to ignore the fact that she knew exactly what was missing for some time, but her distance to Debbie only made things worse. So she did it. She texted her one day, out of the blue. She didn’t even think about it and simply texted: 

 

\- _Hey, wanna meet?_

 

It took Debbie about thirty minutes to get back to her. Those were the longest thirty minutes of Lou’s life (they weren’t, she was just very dramatic). The text simply read: 

 

\- _Took you long enough_.

 

 And just like that, they were back. But not back to how they used to be. There were no more kisses filling the air, no more casual touches filled with the love they never had before finding each other. Lou wondered if they would ever be able to go back to what they were. To who they were before that night. But she knew something was different. And so, one night, she decided to call Debbie out.

 

 “So, what’s up with you?”, Lou asked.

 

 “What do you mean? There’s nothing up with me”, Debbie answered, but couldn't quite look Lou in the eyes.

 

 “Come on, you’re gonna try to con a con?”, Lou answered playfully. They did this every now and then. Tease each other, hit each others nerves to pass the time. But Debbie didn't bite back. She sat still and quiet, and looked at the ground instead of at Lou’s gorgeous blue eyes. This made Lou very uncomfortable and quite uncertain about what Debbie was hiding from her.

 

 “Seriously, what’s wrong?”, Lou asked, with no playful tone this time.

 

 “Nothing’s wrong, silly”, Debbie replied. Lou let out the breath she didn't realize she’d been holding. She looked at Debbie wide eyed, waiting for her to finish her answer. And in the lowest of voices, Debbie said it:

 

“I’ve been seeing someone.”

 

 Lou shifted her body into an uncomfortable position trying to grasp what Debbie had thrown at her. It sent her into a spiral: Had that night been that bad that she had to look for comfort somewhere else? Something foreign to Lou’s touch? Had it been so bad that one argument ended them?

 Debbie just sat there. Looking at her. Waiting.

 

 “Why? Was I not enough? Were you… I… Wh-“. Lou tried with everything she had to form a sentence. _Just one, Lou, jeez. Get your shit together_ , she thought. But all she could do was picture Debbie with someone else. In someone else’s bed, in someone else’s arms.

 

 “Lou, I- ” Debbie started. But Lou didn’t want to hear it.

 

 “Don’t”, Lou began. She paused for a minute to try to make her thoughts make sense. “I just don’t understand where we went wrong. I mean, I understand what happened wasn’t what we expected from each other…” They looked at each other with an agreement not to speak about it, “…but, really, Debbie? You just gave up on us?”

 

 As soon as Lou said that, Debbie raised her head and looked her dead in the eye. She hit a nerve. Debbie stared at her and said:

 

 “I think you made damn sure we were over”, Debbie replied. This hurt Lou. This wasn’t one of their playful arguments, this was pure anger. Lou stepped closer to Debbie and said:

 

 “Oh, come on, Debbie. You know damn well that I would always put you before anyone, especially- “

 

 “Stop.” Debbie never had to raise her voice. It was an argument without any yelling, but it filled the air with so much more noise. They were so close now, and it took every fiber in Lou’s body not to keep getting closer. But she felt it. Debbie was the one getting closer. They were staring each other down, but Debbie still managed to find Lou’s hand. She grabbed it, and said:

 

 “You can’t expect me to just forget this. But fuck, Lou. It’s you and me. It’s always been you and me. And, maybe that doesn’t mean what it used to, but can’t this be enough?”

 

 There it was. All cards on the table, and it was up to Lou. Their entire history, everything they had been through: the late nights, the kisses in the dark, the laughs that filled Lou’s memories with nothing but happiness. Looking at Debbie so wide eyed and insecure, it reminded her of the first time she saw her like this. The first time she was _vulnerable_.

 

* * *

 

**3 years before that night**

It was winter in New York City, and Lou and Debbie arrived to Debbie's apartment after a fancy dinner. One they didn't have to pay for, of course. Lou had sensed that Debbie had been acting strangely the entire walk home. She could have blamed it on the freezing cold, but Debbie Ocean managed to stay gracious even in below zero temperatures. No, this was different. Debbie was _nervous._

 

After taking off her coat and running her hands through her hair (which she never did, her hair was always in pristine conditions), she went to the kitchen to get a bottle of wine. She poured herself a full glass, and downed almost half of it.

 

"Uh, Deb? You wanna share some of that?" Lou asked curiously. Debbie looked up at her and said: 

 

"Right, sorry. I, uh, was filling myself up with liquid courage." This was strange and foreign to Lou. Debbie never stuttered. Besides, an Ocean? Nervous? Unheard of. But there it was. Right before her eyes.

 

"Okay, what's up? You're scaring me", Lou asked as she took off her coat to reveal her toned arms and her carefully elaborated tattoos. But she knew exactly why Debbie was this nervous. She noticed Debbie look her up and down when she did this, and she smirked. She knew what this was. She also knew that Debbie Ocean was a planner, and she needed things to go the way she planned them. So, she let her stutter through her words. She wasn't sure, however, if Debbie could get it out in time before Lou couldn't contain herself and kissed her. She'd been thinking about it for years.

 

"So, um, we've known each other for quite some time, right? And we've gone through our fair share of cons, and whatnot", Debbie started. _Whatnot?,_ Lou thought. _She must be really nervous_. At this point, they were both sitting on the couch, inches away from each other. They could both feel that space, wishing it would be smaller. Debbie got closer, so that their thighs were touching, sending electricity throughout their bodies. It felt like the whole room was on fire, even it was snowing outside.

 

"I just, don't wanna screw this up", Debbie continued, "because you make me happy. Happier than I've ever been. And, honestly, I forced myself never to fall for anyone because this doesn't come with a plan. And that makes me nervous, or excited, maybe? I'm not sure, but I've been thinking about this for a while, and I think you have been too, so -"

 

But before Debbie could continue, Lou lost it. She reached for Debbie's neck with one hand, and put the other one on the small of Debbie's back. And she just went for it. She looked and Debbie, now millimeters away from her, and kissed her. With everything she had in her, every feeling, every emotion, it all led to this moment. Debbie wrapped her arms around Lou's neck, trying to minimize the space between them, even though there was none. Their hands were hungrily exploring each other, like discovering a river after spending years in the desert. This was it, what they both so desperately wanted. And it was all theirs.

 

It was all theirs.

* * *

**1 year after that night**

Lou came falling back to reality. Back to Debbie's expectant eyes, waiting for her answer. 

 

She didn’t know if she could do it. See Debbie be someone else’s. She considered for a lot longer than a second to ask Debbie to leave. To end everything and let her walk away. But she couldn’t do that. She couldn’t let her just leave. Not after everything that happened. And it was all because of one simple reason: Lou was so in love with this girl that even being acquaintances with her would be enough. So she let it be enough. It had to be. Lou looked at Debbie, and mustered up every ounce of courage she had to say it. She was about to let her go. She tried to stop picturing her with someone else (which didn’t work), smiled weakly, and said:

 

 “Yeah. Just having you here is enough”, Lou replied, and she could see the relief in Debbie’s eyes.

 

 There was just one problem, though. It wasn’t.


	2. On the Basis of found friendships

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lou is nervous about her dinner with Debbie and her new boyfriend, so she visits her best friend, Tammy. Her visit sparks up old memories about where it all went wrong.

**1 year after that night**

 

The days following their argument were torture for Lou. They had made plans for her to meet this Claude dude (who sounded so pretentious it made Lou feel sick), and she had been on edge for the entire week. And so, she did the only thing that relaxed her. She got on her bike and drove to the suburbs. She drove up Tammy’s driveway and texted her: 

 

  * _Hey. Outside._



 

This was their usual routine ever since Lou burst in one time with a bottle of vodka and a sleeveless shirt, and the husband was reading the newspaper in the kitchen. What followed was a very awkward conversation. 

 

Tammy opened the door and greeted Lou with a warm hug. She had been briefed on the phone about the situation, and for the past year, they had been each other’s lifelines. The two women had gotten unexpectedly close ever since that night. Debbie had put the blame on them, and they were both very aware of their fuck up. They relied on each other to get through it, and they became very good friends. The thing about Lou and Tammy is that there was nothing there. It was never even a possibility. 

 

See, Tammy and Debbie had dated for a couple years before Lou came into the picture, but it was never anything like what Lou and Debbie had. Tammy and Debbie had fun, they were young and adventurous. Having sex in stolen trucks moving products in from Canada, the usual crazy kid stuff. It was never anything meaningful because there was never any love involved. Eventually, several years after their breakup, they found love for each other, but as friends. They were more like family. They had broken up after Tammy decided she wanted to settle down and start a family. Debbie was not a family gal, so Tammy went off and married the first pasty looking white dude she found. Lou didn’t mind him, it just didn’t make sense in her mind how someone like Tammy could be with such an average dude. But she did get two cute kids out of it, and that was all Tammy had wanted. Lou didn’t think she enjoyed the housewife aspect of it too much, though, considering the countless stocks of (very illegal) products she kept in her garage. 

 

“So, how’s the Debbie hurricane treating you?”, Tammy asked humorously as they walked into the kitchen. Lou looked at her with a gracious smirk. After a year of only having each other, they were very comfortable together.

 

“Are you sure you don’t wanna talk to her? I mean, if she forgave me-“, Lou started, but Tammy cut her off:

 

“It’s different. I knew exactly what I was doing, you didn’t. You found out about the whole mess afterwards. I was a _part_ of it, and what’s worse: I kept it a secret from everyone.” They stayed in silence for a few minutes, soaking everything in. This was the first time they’d talked about it in months. Now that Debbie and Lou were _something_ again (Lou didn’t like thinking what that something meant), everything was back on the table. They had betrayed her, in the simplest of terms, and they held the burden of the downfall of their relationship with Debbie on their shoulders. But before Tammy could keep digging herself into her mind hole, Lou broke the silence and joked:

“So do you think I should punch him before we eat dinner, or after?” Tammy laughed and reached for the spinach for her god awful smoothie.

 

“I think you should play it by ear”, Tammy replied as she put all the ingredients into the blender. “So, what do you know about this guy, anyway?”

 

“Not much. He’s into art, or something, and if Debbie likes him, then he’s a con as well”, Lou answered.

 

“I bet he’s awful in bed”, Tammy joked. This made Lou laugh, but it made her miserable. Thinking of her with him, because Lou knew exactly what to do to make Debbie tick, and how she might never get to do that again. How she might never get to feel her skin, or see the mole on the small of her back. How she may never get to draw her hands along her inner thigh (which gave Debbie goosebumps every fucking time), and feel her fall asleep next to her. 

 

Tammy brought her out of her Debbie trance and said, “Here. It’s good for you”, as she handed her a glass of a gross, green looking smoothie. 

 

“You got something to spike it with?”, Lou asked teasingly. Tammy gave her a mom glare, and pushed the glass even closer to her.

 

“Drink. It.” And so, they spent the afternoon talking about dumb suburban drama and drinking Tammy’s awful smoothie, and Lou managed to forget what was in store for her that night. 

 

As Lou got ready to leave, Tammy walked her to her bike, and gave her some advice:

“Listen, you got this, okay? That guy has got nothing on you. He’s probably a loser she got to pass the time. Debbie adores you. Just, make sure he knows that”.

 

“Thanks, Tam. I’ll text you later, tell you how it goes. Love you”, she replied as she kissed her head and put on her helmet. She drives away, and thinks about their conversation. About how their fuck up started.

 

* * *

 

 

**8 months before that night**

 

Lou had always minded her own business. That’s why she was startled when this man came up to her at a coffee shop asking to buy her a drink. It was even stranger that it was a man, given that she had perfected her look so she only attracted women. He looked at her and said:

 

“Come on, Lou. Won’t you give a guy a bone?” She looked at him cautiously, unaware of why he knew her name, and headed for the door. Of course, he followed her out of the coffee shop and yelled behind her:

 

“Lou, don’t forget the first rule! Don’t hurt anybody, right?” Lou stopped dead in her tracks, and turned around to see the man satisfied with getting her attention.

 

“How do you know that? How the fuck do you know one of the rules?”, Lou asked. That was, of course, one of Danny Ocean’s rules. But nobody had heard of Danny in so long. Nobody would even speak his name anymore.

 

“We’re trying to find him. Danny, I mean”, he said. The name hung in the air. “But, we need your help first. Tammy said you could help”, he continued. _Tammy? What did she have to do with it?_ Lou thought, but the question on her mind was about her involvement in all of this.

 

“We just need you to find us a few people. That’s it”, he said calmly. And that’s where it all began. It would take eight months for all of it to implode on itself and fuck everything up. How things seem so simple before they twist into knots would remain a mystery to her. How she could hurt the person she loved the most without ever meaning to.

 

* * *

 

 

**1 year after that night**

 

As all these thoughts were running through her head, she pulled up to Debbie’s apartment filled with dread. She walked up the stairs and knocked on the door. She heard soft music coming from the inside, and heard Debbie’s bare footsteps coming to the door.

 

“Hey. You never knock. What happened to Lou, and what have you done to her?”, she asked with a soft smile. It was that smile that gave Lou hope. The smile that she had right before she said ‘I love you’ for the first time, and the smile she had after they first kissed. It was an ‘I still love you’ smile. But as she was thinking this, she saw a man walk up behind her and smile at her. He was the worst person Lou had ever laid eyes on. He was an inch or two taller than the blonde, and he was wearing a fucking bandana around his neck. What did Debbie see in this fucking clown? She was furious, and everyone could see it in her face.

 

“Lou, right? Good to meet you, now that you’re back in Debbie’s life”, he said through a fake smile.

 

“Claude, right? That’s a shit name”, Lou replied back, and Debbie looked at her with a distressing look and ushered her inside. Claude was clearly very passive aggressive, but Lou couldn’t care less. That guy was shady, even for a couple of criminals like them. They all stood there as if they were in a wild west stand off, but Lou wasn’t having it. She sat on the couch as if it was her own apartment. Claude left as the oven chimed.

 

_“He’s probably a loser she got to pass the time. Debbie adores you. Just, make sure he knows that.”_

 

She remembered Tammy’s advice and texted her saying:

 

  * _You would not believe this fuck face_.



 

Debbie sat next to her and could only look at her. Lou put her phone away, looked at her, and whispered: 

 

“Is this a joke?”

 

“Lou…”

 

But it was too late. Claude came in from the kitchen and said, “Dinner?”

 

Oh boy, this was gonna be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!! I got so inspired with your comments that I wrote another chapter. The next one is gonna be angst city. Brace yourselves!! Thanks for the kudos and comments, you don't know how much they mean to me!


	3. On the basis of jealousy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lou and Claude meet for the first time, but will the memories be too much for Lou (or Debbie)?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, friends! Hope you enjoy this, more notes at the end!
> 
> Also, I haven't done a shameless plug the last two chapters so here it is:
> 
> Follow me on twitter @StanLexie

**1 year after that night**

 

The night went about as smooth as you’d think. It all felt very cathartic for the both of them. 

 

On the one hand, Debbie had never considered what it meant for Lou to meet Claude. He was her own little secret that she didn’t want to share with the world. It wasn’t necessarily that she was ashamed of him (right?), it was just that Claude had been her comfort when she had no one. Lou was gone along with Tammy, and Danny...

 

On the other hand, Lou felt like she was being pricked by a million needles. She could feel her skin crawl with every topic of conversation that passed. She didn’t want to talk about politics or art or the weather with the man who drove Debbie away from her. She despised him simply for existing (even though she was a great judge of character and this dude was sketch central). She thought about what was possibly going through Debbie’s mind when she decided to give this dude a chance. She examined him: the bandana from hell around his neck, a buttoned down shirt that looked like it was made by lady bugs, pants tighter than hers, and boots made from the ugliest animal skin she had ever seen. Real class act, this fellow. 

 

She was taken out of her Project Runway judgment when he turned to her and said,

 

“So, Lou, you’re a bartender?” He asked this with an ugly lilt to his voice. Lou glared at him and replied,

 

“I own a bar, actually. But I understand the confusion, it must be hard to wrap your head around the idea of a woman in power.” Lou felt a kick from under the table, and caught Debbie staring at her. She knew what it meant. After all those years, a look was enough to bring her to her knees. She smiled flirtatiously at Debbie as she poured herself another drink (vodka soda, extra lime, extra vodka ((wine is for pussies))). 

 

But she was caught off guard when Claude reached over and took Debbie’s hand. It reminded her. Reminded her of the first time she had Debbie in her arms, and Lou could see Debbie was thinking it too. She was shifting in her chair remembering (nice job, Lou), and that was all it took.It sent her spiraling down a myriad of memories.

* * *

 

**3 years before that night**

 

First dates were Lou Miller’s specialty. But for some reason, her hands were cold as ice during the hours before her date with Debbie Ocean. Debbie had offered to cook them dinner, which meant finding a way to get free dinner from the fancy restaurant down the street. She walked to Debbie’s apartment because she knew she was gonna have to drink (A LOT) to get through the night. It was strange, she had hung out with Debbie countless times before, but it felt so different this time. There was a possibility of something Lou had wanted for years. Something she was sure Debbie wanted as well after their make out session the other night. 

 

She walked into Debbie’s apartment, and Debbie yelled, “In the kitchen!”

 

Lou walked into the kitchen to see a bottle of red wine next to a bottle of vodka on the counter. She knew her so well, it made her heart flutter. What made it worse, Lou looked over at Debbie wearing the sexiest black dress she’s ever seen. She looked so drop dead gorgeous, it made Lou’s heart skip a beat. 

“You look great,” Lou said, exhaling. This made Debbie smile (that fucking smile), and say, “You okay there?”

 

“Never better,” Lou replied without taking her eyes off Debbie. A minute passed, and they were both silent. They were clearly nervous, both in their own way. The beauty of Lou and Debbie was that they were both so different, but complemented each other so perfectly.

 

“So, if you’re done staring at me,” Debbie said as Lou immediately shifted her eyes over to the bottles on the kitchen counter, “dinner is on the table. It’s a fancy one.”

 

“How much did it cost ya?,” Lou asked playfully.

 

“A nice, free dinner never hurt anybody,” Debbie joked back.

 

They smiled at each other as they poured their drinks and walked to the table. Lou was immediately less nervous. Just spending time with Debbie made her calm down. They were so comfortable with each other, she didn’t even remember her nervousness.

 

They talked for hours over a great dinner, but it barely felt like minutes. Lou Miller had never experienced anything like this, and it made her feel new. 

 

“…and before I knew it, I had a baby elephant in my room,” Debbie said as she finished her story.

 

“You’re lying,” Lou said, between laughs.

“I’m not! Swear by it, my mom grounded me for a whole year. I think she was more worried that I'd end up like my dad than me having a baby elephant in my room, though,” Debbie said as she finished her glass, “but my dad was pretty proud of me for pulling it off.”

 

And then, it was quiet. Like the moment before a champagne bottle pops, where everyone is waiting for the explosion. Debbie put her hand on Lou’s, something that the blonde did not see coming. They both looked at each other knowingly, and it made Lou speechless. Debbie however, was always a woman of words, and said:

 

“Want another drink?”

 

“Thought you’d never ask,” Lou replied, as Debbie walked towards the kitchen. Of course, Lou followed her, and in that moment, they both knew they were done for. Debbie turned around to face Lou as she pinned her against the kitchen counter. Lou picked the brunette up and placed her on top of the counter, as Debbie wrapped her legs around the blonde. The kisses started to fall down Debbie’s body as the brunette took Lou’s shirt off. Lou started moving her hand up Debbie’s inner thigh, which made her moan (Lou would take a note of this).

 

Debbie’s arms were around Lou’s neck, and her mouth was softly biting Lou’s earlobe when she whispered, “I want you. Now.”

 

And her wish was Lou’s command because her hand started wondering ever so close to Debbie’s underwear when…

 

* * *

 

 

**1 year after that night**

 

“Lou? Lou?,” Debbie asked, bringing Lou back to reality. 

Lou looked over to the kitchen counter that was visible from the dinner table, and then back at Debbie. Debbie immediately knew where Lou had been. She was all too familiar with that memory, as well. So it didn’t surprise her when Lou stood up, and stormed out of Debbie’s apartment. Everything was too heavy, the air, the memories, Debbie in that black dress that looked too much like the one from their first date, the first time they held each other close for the first time.

 

“Was it something I said?,” Claude asked mockingly as Debbie followed her. She was out of there as fast as humanly possible, but when she reached the sidewalk outside of the apartment building, Debbie caught up to her, grabbed her shoulder, and said:

 

“What was that?”

 

“I don’t think I can do this tonight,” Lou replied, with a defeated look on her face. Debbie returned the look, and hugged her. Fuck, she missed those hugs. The kind that put you back together when you feel broken. And then, she remembered why she was doing this. Debbie, it was always Debbie.

 

“Listen, I’m sorry. I’m wrapping my head around it, I think I just need time. After everything that happened with Danny, I thought I’d lost you for good. I’m just glad I have you back, whatever that means for us,” Lou said.

 

“Lou, you don’t have to-,” Debbie replied, but was cut off by Lou.

 

“No, listen. I know that I fucked up, and I fucked up hard, but you still came back. You’re the only one who’s never bailed on me, and that’s because there’s no one like you and me. They don’t know what it feels like to lose everything the way you do, the way I do. I will do everything in my power to tolerate that absolute asshole, but please don’t walk away from this.”

 

There it was again. The knowing look that Debbie gave her. It was as if she was desperate to come back to her, but Lou had betrayed her. And an Ocean doesn’t forgive that easily. Regardless, Lou was not gonna let her go that easily, she just needed to give Debbie a reason to trust her again. 

 

“But, just for the record. Whatever _this_ is, between us, I mean… You can’t just put an asshole with a god complex between it and expect it to go away,” Lou said as and Debbie looked up at her suddenly, clearly surprised. Lou knew Debbie didn’t like being surprised. Everything always had to be done her way, but Lou couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t put it out there. She never wanted to hide anything from Debbie ever again. And so, there they stood, with all the cards on the table, when suddenly Debbie smiled nostalgically, and, as if thinking out loud, said, 

 

“It never does, does it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so overwhelmed by the comments and kudos!! Thank you guys so much, I don't think I could keep writing this if it weren't for you guys. I delved a tiny bit into Debbie POV, let me know if you want me to explore that some more!
> 
> Lmk what you think! Also, if you got the swan queen reference, you a real one :)))


	4. On the basis of betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing is ever the same after that day, which they're forced to remember after Debbie walks into Lou's apartment to Tammy sitting on the couch.

“So, let me get this straight… you just walked out?,” Tammy asked in between giggles.

 

“Hey, in my defense, you would have too if you would have seen that guy,” Lou answered defensively. But Tammy just laughed, and laughed, and laughed. After ten minutes of this, Tammy looked at Lou and said,

 

“Thank you, I really needed that.” Lou walked over to her fridge and pulled out a bottle of vodka. She pointed it at Tammy’s direction, but Tammy gave her a glare in return.

 

“Stop. It’s one in the afternoon. Get some coffee going,” Tammy said as Lou pouted, “Remember, I’m picking my kids up from school after this.”

 

Sometimes, Lou forgot Tammy had kids. She wasn’t one of those people who had kids and forgot who they were. She was a kickass mom and a badass human without having to sacrifice either. Lou admired her for this, and it made her love her even more. So, she caved and they had coffee. Tammy wasn’t aware that Lou’s may or may not have been spiked.

 

“Have you spoken to Debbie since?,” Tammy asked, treading into dangerous territory.

 

“Yeah, I called to apologize for being a dick. And to ask her how much she was being paid to hang out with that dude,” Lou replied, humorously. 

 

“I have a question,” Tammy said without looking into Lou’s eyes.

 

“Okay, I’m not your teacher, what is it?,” Lou asked.

 

“How long do you think you can keep this up? Pretending, I mean,” Tammy blurted out suddenly.

 

“Pretending to do what, exactly?,” Lou asked, taken aback by the question.

 

“Pretending that you’re not head over heels for Debbie Ocean…” Tammy started, but Lou cut her off and said,

 

“Listen. Tammy, we both know it’s more complicated than that. Of course I want her back, more than anything. But, we hurt her. I’m trying to mend the pieces together so maybe someday… I don’t fucking know, we could go back to our true genuine selves? God, That’s so fucking cheesy,” Lou said, trying to invalidate her own statement.

 

“She makes you cheesy,” Tammy began quietly, “but you guys have something really special. I just, hope you don’t throw it away over a mistake that I caused in the first place.” And so, it hit her. Lou understood why Tammy was asking so much about them, and why she so desperately wanted them back together. It wasn’t because she wanted to see Lou happy (she would want that whether that be with Debbie Ocean or fucking Daphne Kluger), Tammy felt responsible for their break up. She was the one who recommended Lou to them. 

 

“No. Tammy, this isn’t your fault. You know that, right?,” she asked as Tammy looked down with guilt in her eyes, “Tammy, what we did, what _I_ did, it was my choice. Yes, we both fucked up, but my fuck up is my own. You’re not responsible for what went down between me and Deb.” As Lou said this, Tammy looked up and hugged her.

 

This is why their friendship worked. It was built on something broken, but it was stronger than the both of them. As Tammy pulled away, she gave her a smile and said, 

 

“What did I ever do to deserve you, Lou Miller?”

 

“Something terrible, but I think the two are unrelated,” Lou joked as the door to her apartment opened. Debbie fucking Ocean walked in with her mind so far gone that she didn’t notice Tammy there. 

 

“Hey, so I was thinking…” Debbie said, but stopped in her tracks when she saw Tammy. “Lou, what the fuck?” 

 

Lou realized in that moment that Debbie didn’t know about their friendship. This was the last place she would think to look for Tammy. 

 

Tammy and Lou both stood up from the couch, and looked at each other.

 

“Debbie, hear me out,” Lou began, but she already knew when Debbie Ocean was mad, there was no going back.

 

“I thought we were moving past this, Lou!” Debbie yelled. “She’s not part of our moving on! She fucked up!”

 

“Yeah, well, I fucked up, too,” Lou said, taking Debbie by surprise. “Don’t you think you should at least give her a chance?”

 

“No! You know why? Because we were moving on! You and me!” Debbie yelled. When she was angry, she was like a machine. Good for the three of them, Lou was the only person who could calm her down.

 

“You and me? What exactly is it, Deb? What are we? Because we are much more than just a couple of people who rekindled their friendship. We know that all too well,” Lou said, looking into Debbie’s eyes. She hadn’t realized how close she had gotten to Debbie.

 

“We’re two people who are moving on. Why does it have to be anything else?,” Debbie asked. She hadn’t been this truthful in a long time.

 

“Because it’s not. How can we possibly move on if we never talk about it?,” Lou asked, and this surprised the three of them.

 

“Fine. Let’s talk about it,” Debbie replied, and nothing had ever felt this silent.

 

* * *

**that day**

**11 am**

It had been eight months since Lou had been connecting Tammy and the guys with whatever weird person they needed: a chemist, a physician, a nurse, even a florist. She didn’t ask too many questions, she just wanted to make sure she could do everything in her power to have Danny back. For Debbie.

 

  * _We need you to leave town today_



 

She had gotten that text the night before, and she checked it again before putting her phone in her bag and got on her bike. If only she had stopped for gas, if she had stopped to see the ocean. But she didn’t. She just kept driving It was 2 PM when she heard the news. After 16 missed calls from Debbie and 47 texts. She had never felt this way. She had betrayed Debbie, she was the reason for her pain. 

 

  * _Lou, where are you????_
  * _Lou, please._
  * _I need you._
  * _They found him_
  * _Danny, they found him…_
  * _Somebody did this to him._
  * _He’s dead, Lou_
  * _Lou, please answer me_



 

These were the texts that kept Lou up at night. Most of them were just question marks, but these. She was desperate and in pain. Debbie was not used to feeling like this, so it made sense to Lou why she acted this way. At the 17th call, Lou finally answered.

 

“ _Debbie? Are you okay? What happened?”_ Lou asked

 

“ _Lou! Jesus, where have you been? Did you hear?”_ Debbie answered. Her voice was shaking, but not from crying. Debbie didn’t cry.

 

“ _Listen, I’m on my way, okay? It’ll be a while, I’m a little upstate…_ ” Lou explained.

 

“ _A little upstate? What the fuck, Lou? Hurry up… please… I need you.”_

 

_“I love you, don’t worry. It’s gonna be okay.”_ And Lou hung up. She didn’t hesitate for a second before calling Tammy.

 

“ _Lou, listen to me…”_ Tammy began but Lou was furious.

 

“ _What the fuck, Tammy? Was all of this a fucking lie? What were the fucking rules, Tammy? Don’t hurt anybody, and he’s fucking dead!_ ,” Lou yelled.

 

“ _Lou…_ ” Tammy tried, but Lou was too angry to listen to anything.

 

“ _Don't steal from anyone who doesn't deserve it! We took Danny away from Debbie! Do you know what she’s feeling right now?_ ,” Lou couldn’t keep anything in at this point.

 

“ _He’s alive, Lou! Danny’s alive! What we were doing?! It was to help him fake his death!,”_ Tammy blurted out, and Lou was speechless. “ _He needed to get away from some dangerous people, so that’s what we did! The chemist developed a serum to slow his heart rate down and pass for dead, the physician to sign the death certificate, the nurse to make sure he was okay after, and the florist for the funeral.”_ The florist seemed very unnecessary, but that probably not the time to bring it up.

 

_“Why didn’t we just tell Debbie?,”_ Lou asked, trying to wrap her head around it. Around how she was the reason why Debbie was heartbroken right now.

 

“ _She knew the people who were after Danny. It was better for us to keep quiet, at least during the planning,_ ” Tammy explained.

 

“ _I’m gonna tell her,”_ Lou warned.

 

“ _I figured as much. That’s why we waited to tell you as well,”_ Tammy said _. “We’re in this together, Lou. We both fucked up, as far as she’s concerned. We might want to tell her together… Are you upstate, like they told you?_ ” 

 

She understood now. She couldn’t tell Debbie if she wasn’t near her. It was brilliant, very Danny Ocean style. Personally, she liked Debbie Ocean cons better, but, again, probably not the time to think about that.

 

“ _Yeah. Let’s meet. 5 PM. My apartment. We’ll figure out what to say to her,_ ” Lou answered.

 

“ _Oh, and Lou… you forgot the third rule_ ,” she said as she hung up.

 

Of course.

 

Play the game like you've got nothing to lose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, folks! Back again with another chapter. I just started classes again, so it might take me a little longer to get the next chapter out. Hope you enjoyed :) lmk what you think, please!!
> 
> P.S. I'm proud of that Daphne Kluger reference :))) I'm trying to involve the others into the story!! We'll see how that goes lol x


	5. On the basis of apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The events of that night are revealed, along with some feelings that are doomed to resurface.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! Sorry this took so long. I just started classes, so I've been a little busy. This one's a heavy one, so I apologize :))) Enjoy!

1 year after that night

 

The three of them just sat there. Lou had gotten drinks for them in hopes the alcohol would help. But, of course, it didn’t. It was the most cathartic of situations. She knew she had to start it off or they would sit there until the earth caved in on itself.

 

“Alright, so are we just gonna sit here, or...” Lou started, trying to lighten the mood, but the air was as thick as a brick wall. 

 

“I just want to apologize,” Tammy began, surprising Lou. “I know I've tried to apologize a million times, but I've had time to think and to properly get to know Lou,” Tammy continued as Debbie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. 

 

Lou knew that the idea of them moving on without her made Debbie’s blood boil. But, Tammy and Lou both knew their friendship was never that. They both missed her every day, even if they didn't speak of it. Debbie wasn’t there, though. She didn’t know what they meant to each other. Lou thought abouthow great it would have been if Debbie had been there to witness it. Their peculiar relationship unfold. How everything could have been so different. She would have loved the first time they had coffee, and how Tammy was losing her mind at the fact that a girl paid for her drink. Or the time Lou snuck booze into the movies and Tammy almost walked out of the theater on her own because she thought everyone knew they had brought alcohol in. The memories that were so theirs, could have been Debbie’s too. 

 

“The thing, I regret the most,” Tammy said, taking Lou out of her what-if world, “is what I did to the two of you.” 

 

The sentence hung heavy in the air. Lou and Debbie looked at each other, eyes full of pain.

 

“What do you mean?,” Debbie asked. She was trying so hard to understand. It had been a year since that night, and Lou knew Debbie was trying to move on from it. 

 

“Because,” Tammy explained, “you guys were _it_. Everybody knows it, and I broke it. I broke you two. I see it in Lou’s face when she talks about you, Deb. And I saw it in _you_ when you guys started dating. I had never seen you so happy, and I’m the one that dragged Lou into this. She was trying to get him back to you, you know?” And as Tammy said this, Debbie looked over at Lou with a shocked look on her face.

 

“What?,” Debbie managed to mutter out. 

 

Lou realized she hadn’t said anything in a while. And so, she looked over at Debbie with a defeated look on her face and said,

 

“I never meant to hurt you.”

 

* * *

 

That night

 

By the time Lou finally arrived to her apartment, Tammy was already waiting at her door.

 

“Why?,” Lou asked as she unlocked her front door. It was all she could say. She had been thinking about why Tammy would get involved in something like this and never tell Lou or Debbie about it.

 

“I didn’t have a choice. Danny had dirt on me, dirt that could hurt me and my family. And I’m sorry that I got you involved, but you were the only one I knew that could get the job done, no strings attached. Even if those strings were tied to the person you love most,” Tammy said as she pulled a file out of her bag. A death certificate.

 

They both stood in silent, finding themselves in a stalemate. They knew, they were both to blame. Neither of them told Debbie. Lou knew that the people Danny worked with could be dangerous, and she didn’t want to put Debbie in the middle of a fight that wasn’t hers, and Tammy was all too familiar with it as well. 

 

“So, what the fuck do we do now?,” Lou asked. Tammy looked at her with a soft smile. They understood the situation they were in was out of their hands. However, something the both of them had in common was their fatal flaw of owning up to their bullshit, no matter how it came to be.

 

And then, it happened. Debbie walked in, and that night would haunt Lou for the rest of her days. Out of seven billion people, she had to break Debbie Ocean’s heart.

 

“What’s going on here?,” Debbie asked, stoically. 

 

“Debbie…” Tammy began as Debbie looked at the file in Tammy's hand.

 

"Lou, what's going on here?," Debbie repeated. She had a sixth sense for these things. Lou knew there was no use in trying to explain or make excuses for anything. It's why she was so good at what she did. She could spot a fishy situation from a mile away. Debbie snatched the files from Tammy's hands and examined it.

 

Lou would never forget the look Debbie gave her that night. It was a combination of pain and confusion wrapped up perfectly in a wrap of anger. 

 

“What the fuck is going on here?,” Debbie asked.

 

Lou had realized that she wasn’t the best with situations like these. Especially when she had broken the heart of the only person who actually gave a shit about her. 

 

“He’s alive. I helped fake Danny’s death. I’ve been working with them for about eight months now,” Tammy began. She knew what Tammy was doing. She was trying to take the blame.

 

The three of them stood in silence. Lou was trying so hard to get a word out, but it felt like her lips were sewn shut. She knew, with every second that passed, Debbie was pulling further and further away, and she didn't know how to process that. She was gonna lose her tonight. After about five minutes, Debbie finally spoke, or at least tried to.

 

“I’m sorry, what? You… Let me get this straight. I- when.. how— Where is he?,” Debbie managed to ask. 

 

“That, I don’t know,” Tammy replied. “I only did what they asked me to; I wasn’t exactly allowed to ask questions. All I know is that Danny was in trouble with an organization called Dibco and the only way to get out of it was if they thought he was dead. We couldn’t tell you because nobody knows for sure who is involved with them, and you know a lot of people,” Tammy tried to explain. But Debbie cut her off with a single word:

 

“We?,” Debbie asked, and looked at Lou with a look the blonde had never seen before. It was as if there was nothing behind her eyes anymore. Not love, not lust, not anything. It was the first time Lou had ever felt emptiness coming from Debbie.

 

“Deb, she didn’t--,” Tammy tried, but Debbie was deaf to their words. She threw the file at Lou in an attempt to grasp her feelings. Debbie Ocean was desperate; she had never felt anything like this. Lou could tell because of one very simple reason.

 

Debbie Ocean was crying. 

 

“Fuck you,” Debbie said, her voice breaking.

 

And that was it. She walked out of the apartment and didn't even bother to close the door. Lou and Tammy were left standing there, trying to absorb everything. But Lou could only grasp one thing:

 

She had lost the love of her life.

 

* * *

 

 

1 year after that night

 

Debbie sat there, waiting for Lou to explain. Finally, Lou spoke.

 

“I was told that everything they were doing was to bring him back,” Lou told Debbie, who could now not look her in the eye. “They told me they were trying to fix Danny’s shit with Dibco, but I didn’t know what that meant. I didn’t wanna put you in a danger you didn’t need to be in. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you because of me.” 

 

“Why didn’t you ever tell me any of this?,” Debbie asked in a whisper.

 

“Because, I _did_ fuck up. You had every right to be mad at me. But Debbie, my biggest fuck up was putting myself in a position where I could lose you,” Lou said, finally looking at Debbie. “Because I did. I fucking lost you. Everything we had, I just— I destroyed it.”

 

Lou saw Tammy get up and walk to the kitchen. She was so fucking smooth, that housewife/criminal. Lou knew she couldn’t ever let anything come between them. She would also do everything in her power to make sure nothing ever came between her and Debbie. Not even herself.

 

“I— I didn't know,” Debbie said, as she sat down on the same couch Lou was. Their thighs were touching, and Lou felt like the entire room was pulsating. Debbie put her hand on Lou’s knee.

 

“I’ve never really understood love,” Debbie began. “Not until I met you, at least. And so, I figured, that no one could ever love me. That everyone was out to get me, and I had to fend for myself. I was an idiot to think that you, of all people, would turn your back on me.”

 

Lou looked into Debbie’s eyes. Those brown eyes, they were like galaxies that Lou could spend the rest of her days exploring. And, without thinking, she laid her hand on the brunette’s cheek, and put a strand of hair behind her ear. Lou thought, for sure, Debbie would turn away. But, she didn’t. She looked into the blonde’s eyes with a hungry passion and licked her lips. Lou leaned in until she could feel Debbie’s breath. She could smell her perfume and feel her warmth against her own body. Lou hadn’t been sure if she would ever get to do this again, so she was drinking in every single second. Lou had her hand on Debbie’s cheek, and Debbie was holding on to Lou as if she was holding on for her life. Lou ran her hand through Debbie’s hair, and pulled her even closer to her. Their lips were millimeters away now, and as Debbie was about to come crashing into Lou…

 

… Debbie’s phone rang. It bounced them back to reality in the most abrupt way possible. Lou had never considered herself a violent person, but it took everything in her not to smash that phone against the wall. Even more so when she saw who was calling. _Claude_. Debbie cleared her throat, and tried to recompose herself before answering.

 

“Hello?”, she said trying to sound normal. “Yeah, I’ll be right over.”

 

Debbie looked at Lou with an apologetic look as she hung up and whispered, “I’m sorry, I have to go.”

 

“Right now?,” Lou asked, confused. 

 

“I’m so sorry, I have somewhere to be,” Debbie said as she gathered her things. “We’ll talk later, okay?”

 

Ever since that night, Lou hated seeing her leave. It reminded her that she wasn’t Debbie’s anymore. But this time, something inside her was trying to tell her something. Maybe it was that she knew now that Debbie wasn’t over them just as much as Lou, but she knew something was up. Before she left, Debbie had that look on her face. Her con face. And if she was doing any kind of sketchy business with Claude, it was just a matter of time before something went wrong. It was a subtle ache, but it would not let Lou rest, she was sure of it. Suddenly, her train of thought was interrupted by Tammy. She was good at that. Helping Lou come out of her ‘black hole’ as Tammy called it.

 

“So— how did it go?,” Tammy asked, coming out of the kitchen. Before she let Lou answer, she blurted out, “Okay, I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help but snoop. That was fucking intense, holy shit."

 

Lou looked at her and laughed. They were both finally feeling this as vivid as it truly was. Slowly but surely.

 

They were getting their Debbie back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been having a little trouble writing lately. English isn't my first language, so writer's block comes easily. 
> 
> Anyways, please leave a comment and tell me what you think!! I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible.


	6. On the basis of danger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the aftermath of their conversation with Debbie, Lou and Tammy try to find out what could possibly put Debbie in danger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello.  
> so, i know it's been a while lol. i had the worst writer's block of my life plus I had school on top of that, but I finally just started writing? idk if you guys write but sometimes that works.
> 
> enjoy some lou/tammy brotp and some loubbie angst

Shitty days happen. It is an undeniable truth. But you get back up and keep trying; trying until the days don’t feel so shitty. Lou hadn’t yet realized that everything that happened up until this moment had been a shitty day. She accepted it as her new normal. Because, what the fuck was the point if she couldn’t have the happiness that she so desperately needed? A happiness that involved her best friend, Tammy, and the love of her life. It had taken Lou this long to realize that the Debbie that she had recently gotten back, Claude’s Debbie, wasn’t their Debbie. 

 

But tonight.

 

Tonight, they’d seen her again. The no-bullshit-Debbie. The Debbie that does what has to be done, and faces the consequences no matter the cost. The Debbie that would tell Lou and Tammy how much they broke her to their faces.

 

Both Lou’s and Tammy’s heads were spinning. It was something they had been running from ever since that night, but they definitely were in it now. Lou felt strange, as if they were in the eye of the hurricane. 

 

“Did you… By any chance…” Lou started, but Tammy knew exactly what she was trying to say.

 

“She had her con face on,” Tammy responded, making Lou’s worst nightmare come alive. If she was doing a con, it was probably with shit-for-brains Claude, and she knew that could only end one way. You don’t do a con with someone you don't trust. That’s how things go to shit.

 

“What do we do, then?,” Tammy asked. Her mind was in the same gear as Lou’s.

 

“We gotta figure out what the fuck is happening before Debbie gets hurt,” Lou replied.

 

“You don’t think she can take care of it herself?,” Tammy asked, thinking about what job they could possibly be working on.

          

“Debbie? Absolutely. But that back-stabbing, mullet-wearing dickbag? Absolutely not,” Lou said. She was mad. Mad at the possibility of losing Debbie again. Not this time.

 

“Okay, so how about we calm down?,” Tammy asked in her mom voice. She went to the kitchen for a few minutes and came back with a hot cup of tea. Lou glanced at her with a confused look as Tammy handed it to her.

 

“What the fuck is this?,” Lou asked, dumbfounded.

 

“Tea, it’s good for your nerves,” Tammy said enthusiastically. Lou had to admit, it was a little cute how excited Tammy got over _tea._

 

_“_ I have tea?,” Lou asked, thinking of her pantry with booze and graham crackers.

 

“I got you some and hid it in the pantry,” Tammy said casually, “you know, for a rainy day. Now, come on. Drink. We gotta pick up the kids.”

 

“ _We?_ ,” Lou asked, surprised, “is your husband gonna be okay with that?”

 

“Uh, yeah. It’s whatever,” Tammy said, trying not to look Lou in the eyes.

 

“What’s going on?,” Lou asked. It was strange to be talking about Tammy’s relationship. Her husband had always had a certain attitude towards Lou (given her layers and layers of sex appeal), and Tammy never really discussed her marriage. She loved talking about her kids, though.

 

“It’s nothing, it’s just… um… he kinda… I um… kinda asked him to leave,” Tammy said, in nothing but a whisper.

 

“What? Why?,” Lou asked, with genuine concern. Tammy had always wanted the picture perfect, white picket fence situation, so this seemed strange. 

 

“I just, I saw how you were fighting for Debbie. How much you’d be willing risk, for her. I see how you light up when you talk about her, and how excited you were when you started talking to her again. I never had that in my marriage. And I want it. 10 years ago, the only thing I wanted was a family. Kids of my own. And I got them, and I would do anything for them. But, I’d been feeling like I had only married him so that he could give me that. That I was never truly in love with him. So, I’m doing it. I’m going out and looking for what you have. Seems only fair that we do it together,” Tammy said, between tears. Lou could’ve sworn she said that all in one breath. Like she had been holding it in for years.

 

“I’m proud of you Tam,” Lou said as she hugged Tammy. “Now let’s get out of here.” 

 

As Tammy collected her stuff, Lou took a sip of her tea. She knew it would drive Tammy crazy if she didn’t.

 

“God, that’s awful,” Lou managed to say as Tammy laughed.

 

* * *

Lou and Tammy were parked outside the kids’ school eating frozen yogurt and talking about what they could possibly do to get Debbie to tell them what she was doing.

 

“Claude is the one I’m worried about,” Lou said, “you have no idea a how much of a tool this guy is.”

 

“Why would Debbie even date him in the first place?,” Tammy asked. But Lou didn’t wanna think about that.

 

“Whatever it is, it’s gotta be Claude’s plan. I wouldn’t be getting this feeling in my stomach with a Debbie job, I know she would plan it to perfection. I’m afraid Claude’s gonna get her busted,” Lou said, desperately trying to change the subject.

 

“What does he do, again?,” Tammy asked.

 

“He’s an artist, of some kind? I think he has a gallery,” Lou replied.

 

“I could ask around, see who he’s worked with to get stuff through,” Tammy offered.

 

“Yeah, that’s smart. Maybe we’ll finally have hard evidence of how much he sucks,” Lou said.

 

A minute later, the kids hopped into the car while laughing.

 

“Hi, Aunt Lou!,” they all said in unison.

 

They were cute kids, she had to admit. Tiny Tammys walking around the earth, minding their own business. It was a funny scene to think about. 

 

Tammy drove silently as the kids screamed in the back. They were cute, but maybe just for a little while. They drove up to an apartment complex where Lou assumed Tammy’s ex was staying. 

 

_Tammy’s ex,_ Lou thought. _Finally, something that makes sense for the first time in months._

 

Suddenly, he steps out of the complex to greet them, as he catches Lou’s eye. Lou knew that was gonna be a whole thing later. 

 

“Alright, kids. I’ll see you tomorrow when your dad drops you off, okay? I love you all so much, and I miss you already,” Tammy said as she gave the backpacks to each of the kids. She drove  off as soon as the kids were safely on the sidewalk because she probably couldn’t deal with another fight right now.

 

* * *

 

Lou and Tammy were walking down the street, each preoccupied with their own thing. While Tammy was talking on the phone to try to find something on Claude, Lou was admiring the city.She loved New York so much because she had found a home there. A family, even.

 

But alas, all good things must come to an end, because just as they were rounding the corner, Lou’s eyes met with Claude Becker’s.

 

_How big is fucking New York?,_ Lou thought.

 

Tammy saw them too, and immediately hung up the phone. 

 

Debbie was the most surprised. She let go of Claude’s hand, and suddenly Lou was extremely aware of her own limbs, how she wasn’t the one holding her hand.

 

Claude approached them with Debbie following and said, “Hello, ladies.”

 

Tammy looked over at Lou with a grin on her face. She was holding in a hysterical laugh she was sure she’d hear later.

 

“ _Ladies, huh? Really classy, Becker_ ,” Lou snarked, while Tammy smiled the least genuine smile Lou had ever seen.

 

“Lou, come on,” Debbie said, “be nice.”

 

“Sure, sure,” Lou responded, fighting every impulse in her body. “So, what are you guys up to?”

 

“Just some window shopping, nothing much,” Claude replied. God, Lou hated his face so much. He was always so condescending, as if he could one up everybody. Lou knew something was up, and Debbie saw it in Lou’s eyes. Everything felt so quiet, even though they were out in the streets of New York City. Finally, Tammy spoke:

 

“So, _you’re_ Claude?,” Tammy asked.

 

“The one and only,” Claude responded.

 

“Right,” Tammy said. “Thought you’d be taller.” This made even Debbie laugh. It was the most unprecedented of situations, but it felt almost right.

 

“Hey, why don’t you go talk to Smitty, yeah?,” Debbie asked Claude. He left without even saying goodbye, but he _did_ kiss Debbie. Hard. Lou considered if it was worth knocking him out with tourists walking past them. She decided against it, but just barely.

 

“Wait, _Smitty_?,” Tammy asked, but she was already in the zone. She started walking towards the corner with phone in hand.

 

“What are you two doing?,” Debbie asked Lou, as Tammy walked away.

 

“What are _you_ doing, Deb? Would sure save us a lot of trouble,” Lou said.

 

“Come on, Lou. It’s a very simple job. I just pose as a buyer and notch up the price. It’s a very simple job,” Debbie explained.

 

“Right, it would be. But this is clearly _his_ idea, Deb. This can't possibly end well, and I don’t want you to get hurt because some rich boy doesn’t wanna take the fall for his own shit,” Lou snapped. “I don’t wanna lose you again,” she said, this time as a whisper.

 

“Hey,” Debbie started, as she put her hand on Lou’s arm. “I won’t let that happen.”

 

It was like a reflex. The moment Debbie was close enough to Lou, she put her hand on Debbie’s waist. It felt like they were the only people in the city. She knew it was now or never.

 

“I can’t, Debbie. I can’t look at you with _him_. Especially not after what happened this afternoon. And I know you think that this thing that Tammy and I are doing is because of us, and even if in some way it is, I still have a bad feeling about this guy, okay? Can’t you just trust me? Why are you still doing this?,” Lou asked, realizing Claude was now looking at them through the window.

 

"Listen, I'll come to your apartment later tonight, okay?," Debbie bargained as she gave Lou that look she knew she couldn't resist. "Then, we can talk and we can figure everything out. Just you and me. No matter how many times you run it, Lou, you're always right there with me. So, we'll get through this together too, alright?"

 

Lou nodded as Debbie reluctantly let go of her. But as she was heading back, she turned to Lou as said,

 

“We all have our reasons,” Debbie said as she went back into the gallery. Lou began to notice that, when Debbie was with Claude, she felt like a shell of the woman she knew. As if he was draining the life out of her.

 

As Lou walked away, Tammy came running up to her and screamed,

 

“Holy shit, Lou!”

 

“What? What’s wrong?,” Lou asked, with all the energy she could muster.

 

“Smitty!,” Tammy said, triumphantly as if it made any sense to Lou. After seeing the blank look on Lou’s face, she continued:

 

“That name. It sounded so familiar. And then it hit me. In one of the voicemails from when we worked together months ago, they said I should look out for Smitty in case he tried to get in on the job.”

 

Tammy was getting somewhere, so Lou just let her continue. She was on a roll.

 

“Because he works for _Dibco._ He works for the people that are after Danny Ocean.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed! let me know what you guys think. your comments actually help steer my writing a lot, so if you have any suggestions, don't hesitate to do so (what you guys would like to see more of, what you'd like to see less of)
> 
> also, yes, i didn't put Tammy's husband's name in because i just don't think he deserves it. alright, see you when i see you

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This was an assignment for an alternative writing class, so if you want me to keep writing, please let me know and i will for sure!! I have a very clear idea of what i want to do with this, but suggestions and comments are always welcome!


End file.
